


Of Flower Crowns and Faeries

by mikamick



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Accidental Marriage, Crack, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Good Morgana (Merlin), Good Uther Pendragon (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Merlin is a fairy, POV Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), POV Merlin (Merlin), but the dialogue is really modern, canon setting and time period, he also wear a wedding dress, in a way ;), it’s what she deserves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:36:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25722955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikamick/pseuds/mikamick
Summary: Uther Pendragon had only two rules for his children, and he expected them to be followed:1. Finish your royal tasks before you engage in other activities.2. Your other activities must never, ever involve Faeries.So it didn’t exactly go over well when Arthur went and got married to one.
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 119





	1. Of Pretty Boys and Baseball Bats

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to my first merlin fic! this is me pretending like everything is okay because i’m still not over it 12 years later!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heads.

Arthur Pendragon’s father was a good man. He governed Camelot with a just and righteous hand which had earned him respect throughout the populace- they feared the name Uther Pendragon the same way Christians feared the name of God. In that same right, Uther treated his children fairly and expected the same respect in return. He had only two rules for Arthur and Morgana, and he expected them to be followed:

  1. Finish your royal tasks before you engage in other activities.
  2. Your other activities must never, ever involve Faeries.



So it didn’t exactly go over well when Arthur went and got married to one.

***

Imagine this: you’re a seventeen year old boy, a prince of Camelot. You’ve finished your training, bowed to whatever noble family is visiting that day, and you finally get a moment to yourself. You ride to the forest, to the same clearing you always visit, only to find a boy there. 

That was Arthur’s morning. He now finds himself staring into the bright blue eyes of a boy he’s never seen before. He knows he’s never seen him before- he’d remember those eyes. Or, rather, he’d remember how he felt looking into them. He’s hot all over for some reason and his cheeks are red, he knows that, and he needs to greet that boy, but no words will come out. Staring at the most attractive person you’ve ever seen will do that. 

When Arthur’s soul returns to his body, he takes a closer look at the other boy.  _ His ears stick out.  _ Arthur thinks.  _ And… is that an acorn hat on his head? How are there even acorns large enough?  _ Unfortunately, Acorn Hat, as Arthur dubs him for the moment, chooses right then to open his mouth.

“Hi. What are you doing here?” A smile quirks at his lips. Arthur’s heart flips.

_ Shit. _

“I’m. Uh. I always come here? When I get a moment, that is.” Arthur stammers. “I always come pretty late, my father likes me to finish my chores before I leave to do other things. So I always come here. Whenever I finish them, I mean. There’s not much to do though since I’ve got servants that do a lot for me. I try to help, but they don’t let me. It’s not proper for a prince to do chores they say, but I never understood that. I think you should help others no matter-” A soft chuckle stops him midsentence. Arthur turns even redder, swallows, takes a deep breath, and starts again. “I’m Arthur. Arthur Pendragon, prince of Camelot. I come here whenever I can to unwind. What are you doing here?”

Acorn Hat, thankfully, doesn’t seem bothered by Arthur’s rambling. He simply smiles and speaks. “I’m Merlin Emrys. I’m making a flower crown. Would you like to sit down?” 

Arthur finally finds his wits enough to smile in return. Dismounting his horse, he settles beside Acorn Hat- or Merlin Emrys, as he’s been told- and the pair talk.

They talk and talk and talk until the clearing is bathed in orange light and Merlin has finished two flower crowns. Arthur has never felt so comfortable around someone who wasn’t one of his knights in ages. He’s smiled and laughed more than he ever has around the banquet table at home. And when the time comes to part ways, Arthur’s heart aches just as much as his cheeks. 

Merlin is fiddling with the flower crown, his voice soft as he addresses Arthur.. “I had a lot of fun today.”

Arthur glances over.. “I did too.” He concedes. “I’m glad you decided to make your silly crowns here.”

“They aren’t silly!” Merlin scrunches his nose in disagreement, and Arthur has to beat down his gay thoughts with a baseball bat. “If I offered you one, you’d take it!”

“Try me!”

“Would you like a flower crown, Arthur Pendragon?”

“Well, Merlin Emrys, I can’t turn down a gift you worked so hard on, can I?”

Merlin lights up. Arthur wraps the baseball bat in barbed wire.

Arthur holds out his hand but Merlin shakes his head. “Bow your head, Prince Arthur.” He obeys, if only to hide his beet red cheeks. Merlin gently places the crown on his head. “A gift from me to you. You’ve accepted it, so no give backs!” He brings Arthur’s face up with a finger beneath his chin. His voice goes quiet, his eyes hooded and gleaming. “Okay?” 

Arthur exchanges the baseball bat for an anvil. 

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” 

Merlin grins and backs away, placing the other crown atop his hat. “Meet here tomorrow at dusk. Don’t be late!” With a wave and- was that a _ wink? _ \- the gangly boy with the acorn hat skips away into the forest, leaving a red faced Arthur Pendragon staring bank-faced after him and trying desperately to keep his eyes at a respectable level. 

At some point in time unbeknownst to him, he snaps out of the trance and mounts his horse to return to Camelot. He gently touches the dandelions woven delicately into a crown and smiles.

Upon arriving, he skips to Morgana’s room, giddy. He busts open the door. Morgana doesn’t look up from her book.

“Morgana, I’m gay!”

“I know, Arthur.”

“No, I’m REALLY GAY.” 

“I know, Arthur.”

“Don’t you want to know why, though?”

“You’re wearing a flower crown. I want to know nothing.”

“But he’s cute!”

“I know, Arthur.”

He frowns, poking his tongue out at her. “You’re no fun.”

Morgana idly turns a page. “I know, Arthur.” Her tone is deadpan, but the corners of her lips twitch ever so slightly, and Arthur knows she doesn’t mean a word. He grins in return and makes for his chambers. 

The baseball bat did nothing for him. He’s smitten with Merlin Emrys. And that’s not a problem.

Until, of course, it was.

Tomorrow arrives. Arthur has never completed his chores or his training as quickly as he did that day. He puts on his best riding clothes (whichever ones had the least amount of mud on them), adorns the crown to show Merlin he really did appreciate it, and makes for the clearing fast as the wind.

He dismounts a farther distance from it this time, hoping to surprise Merlin. But as he creeps toward the clearing, he hears voices. Lots of them. And they get louder and louder as Arthur gets closer and closer, and when the clearing comes into view, it’s Arthur who gets the surprise.

The previously empty expanse now looks like the banquet hall after a hunt. There’s people everywhere, all of them wearing acorn hats just like Merlin’s, but they’re separated down the middle to create some semblance of a path. The path is covered in flowers like the ones woven into his crown, flowers that were almost certainly not there the day before, and at the end of it is an arch, covered in greenery and various forest plants, beneath which stands an old, knobbly looking man hunched over a book, and... Merlin.

Merlin, dressed in a flowing gown of green leaves and orange flowers, his acorn hat covered in spiderwebs that looked suspiciously like a veil, looking as beautiful as ever. Merlin, looking around. Merlin, looking  _ straight at Arthur _ .

Merlin’s worried expression breaks into the widest smile. “Arthur!” He cries, picking up his skirt and running toward him. “I’m so glad you made it! I knew you wouldn’t miss our wedding, but I couldn’t help but worry, you know? And- oh, you’re even wearing your crown. How sweet!”

Arthur’s jaw hangs loose. He’s shocked. Bewildered. Flabbergasted. He can’t even think gay thoughts about Merlin in a wedding dress because he’s too focused on the wedding part. Their wedding?  _ THEIR WEDDING? _ “When did we ever get married?!” He finally manages. 

“We aren’t married yet, silly! That’s what the ceremony is for!” Merlin gestures grandly to the sea of people. “Oh, we can have another ceremony in Camelot as well if that’s what you’re worried about. I knew it would’ve been hard to fit your people here as well!”

Arthur shakes his head. Hard. Hoping maybe this is some sick joke his brain is playing on him. But when he opens his eyes and the scene is the same, only spinning this time. “When… Merlin, when did we agree to get married, exactly?”

Merlin scoffs. “Yesterday! You accepted that flower crown. And everyone knows that’s how we Fae propose!”

Arthur blanches. The Fae. The one time he hangs out with a cute boy, he’s a Faerie. And now he’s getting married to him.

_ Shit. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feedback is always appreciated! thank you for reading!


	2. Of Princes and Prophecies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tails.

There are two sides to every coin. Similarly, there are two sides to every story. 

Merlin Emrys was born to King Balinor and Queen Hunith of the Fair Folk- with an acorn on his head. Literally. Everyone in his village was born with one. It was inconvenient at the best of times.

However, there was one plus side to it: it looked tight as fuck. 

This is all beside the point.

That day in the meadow was not the first time Merlin had seen Arthur, but it was the first time he allowed Arthur to see him. Merlin had been watching Arthur for weeks prior, slowly getting to know him through the conversations he had with his horse- or himself. Merlin couldn’t tell. Yes, perhaps that was a wee bit creepy, but it was not more so than Arthur talking to himself.

And besides, Merlin had a valid reason to spy on him: a prophecy! Because you can’t have anything in Camelot without one.

This specific prophecy was just as vague-and vaguely homoerotic-as all the others. It went something like this:

_ In a land of myth and a time of magic, _

_ The unity of two great kingdoms rests on the shoulders of two young boys. _

_ Their names- _

The rest was smudged. But it sure looked like  _ Merlin and Arthur,  _ and the Fae weren’t interested enough to say otherwise. So, from birth, Merlin had his future planned out for him:

First, find Arthur. Then, befriend Arthur. Finally, marry him and unite the two largest kingdoms in the land- Camelot, and the kingdom of the Faeries. 

Merlin decided that was too much work. He had already completed step one, so he decided to cut out the middleman and go straight to step three. And he had a plan.

First, seduce Arthur. Then, propose to Arthur. Finally, marry him and unite the two largest kingdoms in the land- Camelot, and the kingdom of the Faeries.

Simple enough, right?

Right. Merlin completed it in 24 hours. 

How, you ask? Refer to chapter one.

“But author, How could he have completed it if you never wrote if they get married or not?”

Refer to chapter three.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter three coming soon :) thank you so much for reading!


	3. Of Quiet and Questioning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A weight is shared.

And thus brings us to where we left off: 

Arthur is staring at Merlin in disbelief, his face paper white. Merlin’s eyes are glowing with excitement, surrounded by what may as well be his entire kingdom who are talking amongst themselves as the boys huddle near each other- Merlin dressed in a flowing gown of foliage and flowers and Arthur dressed in his riding best, which is godawful. 

Arthur can’t wrap his mind around this situation. He’s looking at this boy who he is unusually attracted to, wondering whether the words stuck in his throat are stuck there due to disbelief or the fact that Merlin is just _that_ hot. 

The sound of someone calling his name brings him back to earth. “Are you alright?” Merlin asks him, a glint of worry returning to his eyes. 

Arthur stutters for another moment before a sentence finally leaves his mouth. “Um. Could I actually.. talk to you?” He glances uneasily at the strangers surrounding him. “Alone?”

The worry in his eyes turns to understanding. “Of course.” Merlin smiles, picks up his skirt and ducks nimbly through the crowd, none of whom pay them much mind. Arthur follows suit, his heart pounding. 

When the trees grew denser and the voices faded into the background, the pair stop. Merlin twirls (literally twirls, because he’s not letting that skirt go unnoticed) to face Arthur. “Nervous, are you? That’s okay. I am too, a little bit.”

Arthur’s eyes dart everywhere, everywhere except Merlin’s face. “Well. That’s one way to put it.” This causes Merlin to raise an eyebrow. “What’s another way to put it?” He asks. “Cold feet?”

“How can I get cold feet when I didn’t even know I was walking into somewhere cold?” Arthur tells him incredulously.

A pause. 

Silence. 

Crickets. 

“When you didn’t _what_?”

“You know… how can I get cold feet when I didn’t know what I was walking into? Is that better?”

“Not even a little bit.”

Arthur throws up his hands in frustration. “Listen, I didn’t know you were a Faerie. I didn’t know you proposed to me. And I _sure_ didn’t know I said yes! How can I get cold feet when my feet were never warm?” 

He finally looks Merlin in the eyes, and that was a mistake. Betrayal is etched on his face, as if Arthur let him down. His heart clenches painfully. This was the last thing he wanted to do to him. “Merlin, I didn’t mea-”  
“No, Arthur, let me speak. Please?” Arthur musters a small nod and Merlin continues. “I’m sorry this feels sudden to you. I forget that this isn’t how you marry another human. Faeries can get married on the same day they meet if they so choose! And I was… well, I was so happy you said yes, you know?” He reaches up and touches the lopsided flower crown on Arthur’s blonde hair. His blue eyes are teary, but he smiles regardless, as if the crown is a reminder of something good. “I didn’t want to wait. But I also didn’t think of you and your feelings. And for that, I’m sorry. I can understand if you want to leave now. I won’t stop you.” Merlin looks away and steps back, offering room for Arthur to do just that.

Arthur is an idiot. He’s a homosexual idiot who’s trying _really really hard_ not to fall in love with Merlin on the spot. He should turn around and leave right now, and he knows that, but his feet will not move. He sighs and puts his head in his hands, sitting down against a tree. “You’re impossible, Emrys. Im-fucking-possible.”

He hears a soft chuckle. Leaves beside him rustle as Merlin sits down. “Do explain, Pendragon.”

Arthur considers his next words for a moment. He can almost see the options in front of him, like a choose your own adventure story:

**Break his heart into tiny little pieces like a bitch?**

_or.._.

 **Marry him and fall in love with a sexy ass Faerie who’s probably** **_packing_** **?**

A very strange and rather uncouth choose your own adventure story.

Either way, at the end of the day, he had two choices.

“What’ll happen if I marry you?” He mumbles.

Merlin looks at him, surprise evident in his eyes. “Well… not much would change. You’d live in Camelot, I’d stay here. We could meet up and such, but you wouldn’t have to live with me, if that’s what you’re worried about. Our kingdoms would be allies and Camelot would be in the good graces of the Faeries.” 

“And if I don’t?”

“Well, our kingdoms would be instant enemies, we’d curse your bloodline, ending the Pendragon dynasty. Not that that would matter much as we’d more or less level your kingdom within weeks, months if you’re lucky, leaving no Camelot for a Pendragon to rule over even if you did survive the various plagues and disasters we sent your way.”

_Well, shit._

Arthur buries his head in his arms. No cute boy was worth this kind of stress. 

Merlin places a gentle hand on his back. “I’m truly sorry, Arthur. I don’t mean to make you feel so badly about this.”

On second thought, one cute boy was worth this kind of stress.

Arthur has, over the course of this scene, slowly wrapped his mind around this situation. He has chosen an option in this choose your own adventure. But that could wait for a moment. Right now, what he needed more than ever was a comforting presence, and how convenient was it that there was one right next to him?

He stretches out and lays his head on Merlin’s shoulder, shamelessly curling into his side. “I suppose I don’t have a choice here, do I?” He asks quietly.

Merlin wraps his arm all the way around Arthur’s shoulders, squeezing him protectively. “Arthur, you do. If this isn’t what you want, I don’t want to force you into anything. I’m sure I could pull some strings and save you and your kingdom regardless of that.”

He shakes his head. “No, no. That’s too risky. It’s not like you’re asking me to sacrifice myself, right?” He laughs ruefully. “I’ll… I’ll marry you, Merlin. It’s the better option of the two. And it doesn’t hurt that you’re cute.”

Merlin breaks into a genuine, sweet smile, glancing at Arthur with shining eyes. “Thank you. You don’t know the service you’re doing for me.”

“Oh, it’s absolutely a service. Try getting anyone else to marry your ugly ass.”

“I seem to recall someone calling me cute not two seconds ago?”

“Who would that be? I don’t recall anything at all.”

A slap. A laugh. Two laughs. Two boys, one in a wedding dress and one in more dirt than cloth, wrapped in each other’s arms, laughing at one another as the weight of a world resting on their shoulders becomes easier to hold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this one took a bit longer! i couldn’t decide the direction i wanted it to go and rewrote it a couple times, but i’m very happy with it now! as always, thank you for reading and for your kudos and comments! they mean the world to me!


	4. Of Drinking and Drama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so much love to my unofficial beta (u know who u are) for convincing me not to delete this entire chapter! i love and appreciate you so much <3

Merlin had to wonder why Arthur’s name is on any sort of prophecy.

The blonde boy was red in the face, shouting gleefully in the middle of a crowd of the same acorn-hatted strangers who used to intimidate him. He’s the life of the party, making everyone laugh with his antics and befriending anyone who looks his way.

Long story short: he’s drunk off his ass, and Merlin has no idea what to do.

The wedding itself was as simple as could be and proceeded without a hitch. Faeries pour all the pomp and circumstance into the reception afterward, not the ceremony itself. 

At said reception is where the first mistake-the mistake that caused every single issue in the rest of this chapter-happened. But this isn’t about that  _ quite  _ yet.

Merlin and Arthur went on a walk through the forest after the wedding just as they did before it. They strolled side by side, the air between them thick with questions unasked and words unsaid until a quiet voice broke the silence.

“Merlin?”

“Hm?”

“...What happens now?”

Merlin thought for a moment. “As I said, not much will change. So long as we get the marriage officiated in Camelot as well, our kingdoms will be allies, which is the ultimate goal of this whole arrangement. We don’t have to act married or anything if that’s what you’re worried about…”

If Merlin didn’t know better, he would have thought Arthur’s face fell after hearing that. However, the look was so fleeting he couldn’t be sure because in the 1.2 seconds after that, Arthur’s expression went through every single emotion possible before landing on panic. 

“Oh my god. Oh my fucking god. Holy shit.” Arthur breathed, picking up his pace nervously. “We have to get it officiated at home? Merlin, what the hell am I going to tell my father?!” He was almost running now despite Merlin yelling after him to slow down. “He’s going to murder me. I broke one of the TWO RULES he had for me, and now I’m married to a FAERIE of all people, and somehow I have to tell him and get married AGAIN in Camelot?! How in hell am I supposed to-” 

Merlin desperately reached for Arthur’s arm and yanked him backward, and in typical repressed homosexual fashion, they fell one on top of the other. How cliché. 

“Arthur, please calm down,” Merlin said quietly, a bit red in the face. “Listen, I don’t know what the problem is, but we can figure it out. We’ll talk to your dad, okay? I bet he’ll be happy you formed an alli-”

Arthur shook his head vehemently and moved off of Merlin’s lap. “No, you don’t get it,” he buried his head in his hands. “One of his only rules for me is ‘don’t mess with the Faeries.’ And what did I do? GET MARRIED TO ONE. I’m going to get executed.” 

Merlin studied him sadly. He truly felt bad that he was causing Arthur so much trouble and pain, but they had a prophecy to fulfill. They had to be married. For their kingdoms. “It’s no use worrying about it now. Today is supposed to be a good day, so let’s have fun, okay? We can figure your father out tomorrow.” He stood up, brushed off his dress, and offered his hand to the blonde boy. He looked up, smiled the tiniest bit, and accepted his hand, clutching it until they arrived at the clearing. Merlin didn’t complain. It was the least he could do for putting him through so much.

Once he had changed from his big ass dress into something more sensible (e.g., pants), the reception commenced, and his troubles began to snowball.

Arthur drank like a monster. Merlin could only assume he was drinking to forget absolutely everything because he had seven drinks back to back to back.

The eighth brought him to where he was now, in the center of the crowd, illuminated by glowing lanterns scattered among the group. Merlin was content to watch from afar. It was a bit funny, after all, seeing oh-so-composed Prince Arthur flail and shout as Faeries egged him on. Whatever he was doing was causing a ruckus. A huge ruckus. 

Curious and slightly concerned _ ,  _ Merlin peered closer and realized he couldn’t see Arthur’s mussed mop of hair anymore, and the guests seemed to be laughing at the ground. 

_ Oh, shit in a sheepskin. _

Apologizing profusely, he shoved his way to the center of the mob and found Arthur facedown on the grass, shaking with what he hopes is laughter. 

Merlin crouched down, poking at the boy’s side. “Arthur? Arthur, get up. You’re going to get trampled like this.”

Arthur rolled over, grinning. Blood trickled lazily out of his nose, but Merlin doesn’t think he can even feel pain at the moment. The sight was kinda hot. “Merlin? Is.. that you?” He choked out between giggles. 

He sighed, trying to hold back a smile. “Yes, it’s me. Please get up. We need to get you back home.” 

Arthur sat up as quickly as someone two steps away from blackout drunk can sit up. A childlike pout had replaced all traces of laughter. “I don’t wanna! It’s fun here!” He whined. “We just got maaarried, Merls. Can’t I have just a little fuuun?” 

“You have had enough fun for you and me to get married several times over. It’s time to go home.” Merlin stated firmly, looping Arthur’s arm over his shoulder, grabbing his waist and heaving both of them up from the ground with much difficulty. Arthur was heavy as shit.

With just as much trouble, he shoved their way through the crowd, Arthur holding on to Merlin until they reached the forest. He found his footing once they were well away from the party, but he clung to Merlin’s hand to keep steady. Merlin didn’t want to admit it was a nice feeling.  _ I’m just helping him _ , he thought insistently. 

Sure, Jan.

For many minutes, no one spoke. Merlin could see Arthur was teeming with questions, but neither boy wanted to break the quiet silence.

Or Arthur was too drunk to form sentences. That’s also a plausible idea.

After time and again passed, he finally piped up. “Merlin?”

“Yes?”

“You have magic, right?”

“Yes, of course. All Faeries do.”

“Can’t you just… magic me to Camelot?’

Merlin chuckled dryly. He hated this sort of question. “That’s not how magic works, Arthur. My magic is strong but not that strong. I can only magically transport one person at a time to a safe place that I have been to before. I’ve never been to Camelot, so I can’t ‘magic’ you there. Besides, I need to make sure you get home, so it’s safer for us to go together on foot.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Silence once again; that seemed a common theme between them. Merlin wondered if he could feel how sweaty his hand was.

“Merlin?”

“Yes, Arthur?”

“What are we?”

“...Well, that’s a loaded question.”

“I mean, are we friends? Business partners? Actual husbands?”

“Oh, no.” Merlin scrunched up his nose at the last one; it was a knee jerk reaction (though not a completely honest one). He thought about it for a moment. “Friends is nice, I think.”

“Me too.”

“And Arthur? You’re still holding my hand.” 

“Oh.” 

His hand went cold, and his heart ached just a bit. 

As Camelot appeared in the distance, Merlin considered his options. Arthur seemed to have sobered up a bit on the way back, so there was a chance he could just walk inside without Merlin’s help. 

Then Arthur ran into a tree and started giggling like a villain. 

Never mind. __

So, Merlin began to hatch the plan dubbed “Get-Arthur-into-Yonder-Sity.” Or GAYS for short.

Perhaps he could put a cloaking spell over them to get inside? His magic was strong and steady enough that he could keep them hidden at least until they got inside the castle walls. 

Another option was changing what the guards at the gate would see. Rather than making them invisible, he could simply make the guards see a sober Prince Arthur and not a drunk ass Prince Arthur and a Faerie. It would be much more taxing than a simple cloaking spell, but it might make it easier to slip past the guards.

Or maybe-and this was ideal-Arthur would sober up before they reached the citadel and HE could figure it out because Merlin was babysitting at this point, and he was about to start charging a service fee.

Or maybe he’d just happen upon the answer. 

The answer’s name was Morgana Pendragon, he discovered, and she was sneaking out to find her brother.

“I’m Merlin Emrys. Nice to meet you.”

“Good, good. Is that my brother on the ground?”

“Yep.”

“Arthur! Get your ass over here!”

And that was their meeting. Merlin quickly explained how Arthur was off his face, and he was trying to get him home. She thankfully found it quite funny and offered to help them enter the castle unseen, which Merlin accepted gratefully.

“So how did he get like this exactly?” She asked curiously, guiding Arthur firmly by the shoulder into the tunnel she exited.

Merlin tensed. He knew this was coming, but it didn't make answering it any easier. “Well, let me ask you a question first. What's your opinion on Faeries?”

She looked away as if this is a question to which she hasn’t formed an immediate answer. “I’m not sure,” she said carefully. “I’ve never met one outright so I can’t say, but Uther always says to stay away from them just because their customs are different from ours and he doesn’t want us to get married to them by accident or something silly like that.” She laughed, glancing over at him. “Why do you ask? And why are you so pale?” 

“Well,” he took a deep breath. “I mayormaynotbeaFaerieandIproposedtoArthurandnowwemayormaynotbemarried. Andhegotdrunkatthereception.”

A pause. 

Another pause.

They stopped walking.

“...what?” 

Merlin looked meekly at Morgana. “We’re… married.”

“Maaaarried, ‘Gana! I got a husband before you did!” Arthur chimed in gleefully.

“...Arthur, I’m a lesbian. We’ve talked about this.”

“Oh. Right.”

Merlin studied her reaction. There’s disbelief in her eyes, but not malice. No disgust, no hatred. So he calls that a win.

“Well. I apologize for asking such a loaded question.” She ventured. “Um. Let’s wait until we get to his room, and then you can tell me more. Slowly. Okay?”

Merlin nodded, his heart pounding. That could’ve gone worse.

Somehow, they managed to sneak into the castle. Morgana’s handmaid Gwen did an excellent job keeping the folks near Arthur’s chambers distracted (at Morgana’s request) while they made their way there- after they promised to tell her the story, of course. 

By the time Merlin and Morgana arrived at Arthur’s room, they were ready to beat his ass. He knew Arthur was loud, but the  _ one time  _ he just needed to shut the fuck up, he did not. At all. He almost got them caught a minimum of 5 times.

He flopped onto his bed, laughing. “That was fun! We should do it again sometime!”

“Absolutely not,” said the other two immediately.

After a few moments, Gwen entered, followed by an old man with flowing white hair.

Morgana looked over, lighting up at the sight of them. “Gwen! I’m glad you came! And you brought Gaius! That’s wonderful; we could use his help.” She said, then pointing at Merlin. “This is Merlin. He’s a Faerie and married to Arthur.”

His jaw dropped in shock. “ _ Morgana! _ That is not a good thing to lead with!”

“Well, they might as well hear about it too so they can help me save you from being executed!”

He couldn’t say no to not dying.

***

“So let me get this straight,” Gwen said, rubbing her temples. “You talked to Arthur, proposed to him with a flower crown to create an alliance between the Faeries and Camelot, because you’re a Faerie, apparently? And he didn’t know, but agreed to get married when he showed up to the wedding, then got drunk at the reception, and you had to help him back here.”

Merlin nodded. He decided to leave out the prophecy side of things. If they didn’t already know, they didn’t need to know. Not right now, anyway.

Morgana looked even more flustered after she’d heard the whole story. Gwen’s eyes were wide, staring at nothing. Gaius was sitting beside Arthur, who had finally gone quiet. Compared to the others, he seemed considerably less surprised, as if this wasn’t the first time he’s dealt with Faeries.

No one spoke.

Silence.

Crickets.

How did those get in here?

Merlin looked around nervously. “So… am I dead?”

Gwen and Morgana looked to Gaius. He sat down, sighing, deep in thought. “No, Merlin, you’re not. Camelot doesn’t hate Faeries; we simply don’t know your customs. Uther has tried to keep Arthur and Morgana away from you because of that. As for how’d he’d react to marriage, however...”

Gwen frowned. “We’ll have to tell Uther at some point.”

Morgana pointed to the door. “We could tell him now!”

Four heads turned in unison to look where she was pointing.

A man in a king’s crown had an ear turned toward the slight opening of the chamber door.

_ Oh my fucking god. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiya! this was a rather difficult chapter to write, but i think it came out well! i’ve started school again (virtually, cause we stay safe) so updates might take a bit longer. thank you so much for reading and for your kudos and comments! even if i don’t reply, i read them all and they truly make my day! much love <3


	5. Of Primroses and Pretending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the more important note is at the end, BUT if you’d like to hear the playlist i made for this fic (aka what i listen to when i’m writing) the link is https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6ylpXAJZz7o3Z3AVt8FFCD?si=65Zw1HQ0SzOkKyYy3Z2U0A !!

For a moment, no one spoke. Four pairs of eyes were fixed on one single eye visible through the crack in the door.

The king was the one who broke the silence. “May I… come in?”

He was met with crickets. He took that as a yes.

He shuffled in-almost bashfully, but not quite. He did not bow his head, but his eyes showed the slightest hint of embarrassment, like a rebellious child getting scolded by his mother, trying not to be apologetic. His gaze slowly travelled over each person in the room, from Gaius to Gwen to Morgana to a sleeping Arthur before landing on Merlin. And if he didn’t know better, Merlin would have thought there to be a glimmer of knowing curiosity in his gaze.

Gaius cleared his throat. “Sire… how much did you hear, exactly?”

“Oh, all of it.” He answered nonchalantly. “When I heard Arthur singing in the corridor, I figured I should come and at least check on him. By the time I did, however, you four were already talking. So I just… listened. A bit.”

Apparently, Merlin could not meet a single one of his in-laws correctly.

The room was silent once again. The tension in the air was thickening by the second, and no one knew how to break it.

That is, until Morgana shot up, her eyes steely and her fists clenched. “Then you know that Merlin is married to Arthur? And that he’s a Faerie?” She demanded, her voice getting louder with each word. “Well, guess what? Nothing you say is going to make them not married, so you’d better not hurt Arthur for it, or Merlin either! Just because _you_ hate Faeries doesn’t mean _we_ have to! And if you even _try_ t-”

“Morgana!” Uther boomed. “I don’t hate Faeries, and I’m certainly not going to hurt either of them- quite the opposite, in fact. I’d like to talk to Merlin about a few things we could each get out of this engagement.” He stared holes into Merlin’s head. “If you wouldn’t mind, of course?”

There was only one answer Merlin could give; he hesitantly followed the king into the corridor, leaving a dumbfounded Morgana and co. behind.

And so they walked. Uther gazed straight ahead. Merlin didn’t dare to look up. The only sound was the echoing contact between shoes and stone.

Merlin’s mind was racing. What could the king of Camelot possibly want to speak with him about? There had never been any interaction between their kingdoms before now- his parents made sure of that. So then what could Uther want from his kingdom? He said he didn’t hate Faeries, but everyone he’d spoken to thus far on his journey said otherwise. If he truly harbored ill will toward them, what would Merlin do then? Would he have to stop him right then and there? Or would he-

His incessant thoughts stopped when Uther did. They had reached a lush, blooming expanse of flora. It was a comforting sight. Merlin was used to being surrounded by greenery; out here, it almost felt like home to him. Almost.

When Uther finally spoke, it was softer than Merlin was expecting. “We haven’t been formally introduced, have we? I am King Uther Pendragon of Camelot. And you are?”

“I’m.. Prince Merlin Emrys. Of the Kingdom of the Faeries.” He stammered. “Sire.”

The king smiled, the barest hint of relief on his face. He seemed lighter as he went on. “Walk with me, Prince Merlin Emrys.”

And so they did. They followed a pathway paved with stone, weaving through all manner of plants until a flower bed set apart from all the rest came into view. Merlin recognized them immediately.

“Merlin.” Uther spoke. “I assume you know what these are?”  
Merlin nodded. “Primroses. We grow a lot at home.”

“I would assume you do. Faeries are considered the caretakers of these flowers, after all.” He gazed at the bed with a wistful smile. “Do you know the language of these particular flowers? Do you know what they mean?”

Merlin frowned. “I didn’t know flowers had meanings.”

“They all do, but these particular ones represent young love. Every primrose says ‘I can’t live without you.’” Uther’s voice was soft and solemn. “My wife and I planted them together when she was alive. She wanted our son to grow up knowing how to care for things different and more fragile than him. It was her dream that he would care for these flowers one day.”

“And has he?”

Uther’s eyes became glass. “She… she died giving him life.” He murmured, reaching down and cradling one of the flowers with a broken smile. It was a moment before he stood up again. “I was blinded by the pain of losing her and raised him to be a warrior, like I was. It was all I knew. I regret every day I didn’t raise him in a way Ygraine would have wanted.”

Merlin allowed this silence to rest between them. The king was blinking away tears; he wouldn’t interrupt such a moment.

Eventually, Uther regained his composure. “I didn’t bring you all the way here for nothing. Please, pick a few primroses. I’d like you to have them since I brought you all the way out here.” He insisted.

 _All that talk of how much they mean to him and now he wants me to murder them?_ Merlin thought incredulously. _Sure. Why not._ _Sounds reasonable enough._

Uther waited for Merlin to obey before he ventured on. “Merlin. I don’t care to know how it happened, but I must ask. You two are actually married, yes?”

Merlin gulped, keeping his eyes trained on the flowers between his fingers. “Yes. We are.”

“That’s good. That’s very good.” Uther mused. “I’ve wanted an allyship with the Faerie kingdom for quite a while, but there was never a way to begin the process. This is a wonderful arrangement- should you be interested in a treaty, of course.”

“The Faerie kingdom would greatly appreciate that,” Merlin assured him. The king nodded, but his eyes were far away. “Is there something else, sire?”

He chuckled ruefully. “I suppose I haven’t been doing a good job of hiding it, have I? The truth is, Merlin, there’s a prophecy. It says two young boys are meant to bring unity to the kingdoms. Arthur’s name is on it, and beside his is yours.”

Merlin’s breath caught in his throat.

He was told the prophecy was only given to the Faeries. He was told to conduct the whole marrying Arthur business in the shadows, for others couldn’t hear words not given to them. He was told under no circumstances could they find out. So…

“How did you know about that?”

Uther glanced at the bug-eyed boy in surprise. “You mean you know of it as well?”

“Yes! I was told I had to find Arthur before I could even walk.” He rushed. “Do you know what it means?”

“I didn’t have the foggiest idea until you confirmed it was your name on the prophecy. Now, I have an inkling of what it could be.” The king turned on his heel and began walking back into the castle, Merlin following behind with his bundle of primroses in hand. “Our kingdoms have walked on eggshells around one another for centuries. Always on the brink of war, always one word away from catastrophe. No one knows why, but peace talks between our kingdoms have never been orchestrated. That, I believe, is where you two come in. The union between you will serve as one between Camelot and the Faeries. I believe we will be helpful allies to you and you to us.”

“But why did you tell Arthur and Morgana Faeries were off limits? They said you hated us.”

“As I said, Camelot and the Faeries walk on eggshells around one another. We don’t understand you, so I banned them from any interaction with you to avoid a war.” He explained. “I don’t hate Faeries- I never have. Although I never considered the famed Merlin could be a Faerie, I’m glad that he is. Our kingdoms can now sweep the eggshells away.”

The walk back to Arthur’s chambers was as silent as the previous. Merlin’s mind had quieted now; the echoes of their footsteps were their only audible company.

Soon enough, they stopped in front of their destination. “I assumed you’d like to check on him before you go. If you leave tonight, Morgana’s room is at the end of that corridor,” Uther directed. “She can escort you out. If you’d like to stay, she can also show you to a room. I do hope you’ll return tomorrow regardless of what you choose; I’d like to begin planning for talks between our kingdoms as soon as possible.”

Merlin, for the first time since he’d arrived in the castle, smiled. “Thank you. I’ll be here.”

“Wonderful. I look forward to it.” Uther moved to leave, but something stopped him and he turned around to face the Faerie. “And Merlin? Keep the prophecy between us. Gaius knows about it so you can speak to him if you need to, but keep it from the others, Arthur especially. They don’t need that burden. You must understand how hard it is, after all.”

Merlin nodded earnestly and the king, satisfied, placed a firm hand on his shoulder and took his leave. Merlin’s mind was void of thoughts as he watched the king’s exit; there was so much to think about he couldn’t think about anything.

Inside Arthur’s chambers, Gaius, Gwen, and Morgana were nowhere to be found. The candles had been blown out, so the only light to be found was the silver glow of the moon. Arthur was under the covers, the gentle rise and fall of the duvet the only sign of life he exhibited.

Merlin’s muscles were turning to stone. Arthur was alive- that was all he needed to see.

As he turned to leave, he remembered the primroses still clutched in his hand. Uther’s voice from earlier rang inside his head, and it struck him what the king meant for him to do. His confidence in the two of them was almost comical, but he had to do something with the primroses, so why not humor him? With a few muttered words, a cup filled with water appeared in his hand. He arranged each primrose inside and carefully placed it on the table. Why Uther intended them as a gift Merlin didn’t understand, and he didn’t quite care to at the moment. He was halfway to the door when a voice raspy with sleep grumbled, “Huh? Who’sere?”

_Damnit._

“...It’s Merlin.”

“Murlin?” He slurred, shifting to face him. “C’mere.”

Merlin cursed his kind heart and his weakness to deep voices as, against his conscious will, he walked over to Arthur’s bedside.

Arthur blinked his bleary blue eyes. “Y’alright?”

Merlin was taken aback by the genuineness of the inquiry. “I’m alright. Just tired.”

“You staying here?”

“I’m staying in the castle, yes.”

“Stay with me.”

“Arthur, you’re still drunk.”

“I know. Stay with me anyway?”

Merlin’s heart clenched painfully. In all those weeks of observation before they met, he saw this expression on Arthur’s face the most: he was yearning for someone to be by his side, to be there for him.

He knew it meant nothing that he just happened to be there. Arthur would’ve asked that question to anyone standing where he was. His brain pushed him to refuse. He knew he should refuse. It would be unfair to a drunken Arthur to agree. It would be unfair to his heart to agree.

And yet, Merlin slipped in beside Arthur, maintaining a respectful distance between them and hoping his heartbeat didn’t echo as loudly in the room as it did in his ears.

He pretended not to hear the whispered “Goodnight, Merls.”

He pretended not to feel the gentle brush of fingertips against his hand.

He pretended not to feel his own breath hitch as Arthur’s head came to rest on his shoulder.

He pretended not to know what the primroses blooming inside of him meant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> grrr i love quiet intimate scenes SO MUCH theyre my favorite to write so you’ll probably see many more over the course of this fic :))  
> hello!! long time no see! i’m sorry this chapter took so long but school is a doozy. i’m still getting adjusted but hopefully i’ll be quicker from now on!  
> as always, thank you for your comments and kudos and bookmarks. it means the world to me that people are reading and enjoying what i write, it makes me feel super proud and happy! y’all are my motivation!  
> anyway i hope you enjoyed this chapter! see ya in the next one!


End file.
